William Thomas Beagan was born on December 1,1937 and is a Canadian retired ice hockey administrator and ice hockey referee.
42 Facts About Bill Beagan
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Bill Beagan served in the Canadian Army for thirteen years, before refereeing in the National Hockey League for two seasons.
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Bill Beagan was commissioner of the International Hockey League from 1969 to 1978, the Ontario Major Junior Hockey League from 1978 to 1979, the Eastern Hockey League from 1979 to 1981, and the Central Collegiate Hockey Association from 1985 to 1998.
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Bill Beagan was a partial owner and the general manager of the Toledo Goaldiggers from 1981 to 1985, and led the team to two Turner Cup championships.
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Bill Beagan is credited for turning around IHL finances and making it a top-tier development system for future NHL talent.
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Bill Beagan had agreements with the NHL to develop on-ice officials while commissioner of the IHL and the CCHA.
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Bill Beagan signed the CCHA to the first national television contract for colleges in the United States, introduced instant replay to the league, and shared revenue with the schools.
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Bill Beagan has been honoured with the United Nations Emergency Force Medal, the Canadian Forces' Decoration and the Canadian Peacekeeping Service Medal.
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William Thomas Bill Beagan was born on December 1,1937, in Parry Sound, Ontario, as the second youngest in a family of twelve children.
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Bill Beagan learned to skate on a frozen pond at age six, by wearing multiple pairs of socks in a second-hand pair of ice skates that were five sizes too big.
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Bill Beagan attended Parry Sound High School until tenth grade, then enrolled in the Soldier Apprentice program in the Canadian Army at age 16.
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Bill Beagan was deployed as part of the United Nations Emergency Force for the Suez Crisis in 1959.
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Bill Beagan later worked at the National Defence Headquarters in Ottawa, then was involved with the North American Aerospace Defense Command while stationed in the United States.
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Bill Beagan refereed for the Ottawa District Hockey Association while in Ottawa.
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Bill Beagan was promoted to refereeing in the National Hockey League by Scotty Morrison in 1967.
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Bill Beagan was one of the three match officials in the game on January 13,1968, where Bill Masterton of the Minnesota North Stars sustained a head injury, and later died as a result of the on-ice accident.
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Bill Beagan was recommended for commissioner of the IHL by NHL president Clarence Campbell, who mentored him as an on-ice official.
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Bill Beagan succeeded Andy Mulligan as IHL commissioner in August 1969.
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Bill Beagan testified at the July 1976 United States House of Representatives inquiry into professional sports, which investigated United States antitrust law, the effect of United States nationality law, finances of leagues and their franchises, and violence in sport.
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Bill Beagan stated that IHL players were not considered professionals despite receiving some compensation, and were classified as amateurs by AHAUS.
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Bill Beagan testified that the IHL was the largest financial contributor to AHAUS at the time, had an agreement with the NHL to develop on-ice officials and players, but the World Hockey Association showed no interested in negotiating any agreement.
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Bill Beagan felt that the NHL was no longer able to contribute much towards amateur programs in the United States or Canada due to competition from the WHA, which undermined the IHL.
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Bill Beagan stated the league faced challenges to maintain quality due to changes to immigration laws which deterred participation by players and referees who were Canadian.
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Bill Beagan became the first full-time commissioner of the Ontario Major Junior Hockey League on December 15,1978, succeeding Tubby Schmalz.
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Bill Beagan took over a league whose teams were facing attendance and financial issues.
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Bill Beagan stated the targeting younger talent by the WHA was a threat to junior ice hockey, and sought to convince professional leagues that they are undermining their own future by signing players too young.
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In January 1979, Bill Beagan felt the OMJHL would suffer from the Liquor Licence Board of Ontario ruling that breweries could no longer sponsor junior hockey, due to underage athletes on the teams.
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Bill Beagan petitioned the Government of Ontario to overturn the decision, stating the breweries had been good corporate citizens by supporting sports in Ontario.
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The Canadian Press reported that Bill Beagan claimed he was fired from the OMJHL, whereas the league stated he resigned after six weeks on the job.
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Bill Beagan was named commissioner of the Northeastern Hockey League on June 14,1979.
31.
In 1981, Bill Beagan became a partial owner and the general manager of the Toledo Goaldiggers in the IHL.
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Bill Beagan initially oversaw the CCHA from home, then relocated to its headquarters at the University of Michigan during the second season.
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Bill Beagan implemented a pre-season training camp for referees, despite the officials going on strike in protest.
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Bill Beagan developed a working relationship with the NHL to develop future officials in collegiate hockey.
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Bill Beagan sought to have CCHA games televised as a game-of-the-week, and signed the first national television contract for colleges in the United States.
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Bill Beagan brought in cable television partners which included the Pro Am Sports System and Fox Sports Net.
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Bill Beagan introduced instant replay to the CCHA in 1993, to be used at its league championships, and arranged for the CCHA Men's Ice Hockey Tournament finals to be played at Joe Louis Arena.
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Bill Beagan was credited with coining the phrase, "Road to the Joe", in reference to end-of-year tournament culminating at the Joe Louis Arena.
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Bill Beagan described his experience as a part-time position that became a 13-year temporary job as a labour of love, and felt that the CCHA had been receptive to changes which increased exposure and the success of college hockey.
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Bill Beagan was the subject of the 2011 book, Shooting for the Moon: The Bill Beagan Story.
41.
Bill Beagan donated his personal collection of documents and hockey memorabilia to the Hockey Hall Of Fame Resource Centre and Archives later in 2011.
42.
Bill Beagan received the United Nations Emergency Force Medal in 1959, the Canadian Forces' Decoration in 1967, the Distinguished Service Award from AHAUS in 1974, the International Hockey League executive of the year award from The Hockey News in 1976, the Dedicated Service Award from AHAUS in 1979, the minor league executive of the year award from The Hockey News in 1982, the Canadian Peacekeeping Service Medal in 2001, and was inducted into the Bobby Orr Hall of Fame in Parry Sound in 2004.